Lunchbox Colour Salad

One of the downfalls of running a small test kitchen and recipe development is the easy access to massive amounts of food lying around at all times. Thankfully for me, it is usually light, healthy and almost always savoury. But still. How many times in a day do you mentally slap your hand away as it reaches for something to put in your mouth? I find myself doing that all the time. After so many years, I have really gotten good at the hand slapping. It takes an amazing recipe for me to have a bite or two while I am working. More so, when I am working on the lunchbox series. To me, a recipe is worthy of the "Lunchbox" title if I will stop working in the middle of my photoshoot to sit down (yes!) and enjoy it languorously.

Earlier this week while shooting a recipe for a tomato vinaigrette, the idea for this beautiful whole wheat pasta salad took root in my mind. Heavily influenced by all the colour talk we have been having at college, I set out to create an explosion of healthy colours in a bowl. I had fun with this recipe, I really did. I explored colours for mood, well being and nutrition. I even went a little bit crazy with my choice of props and the result was absolutely beautiful.

The pasta salad is fresh, light and has that clean-fresh-air-woodsy taste and feel to it. It is visually appetising and I want more of that goodness going in my body – my temple and all that. Like with everything in my lunchbox and pantry series, you could customize this completely to suit what is in your fridge, pantry and that still unemptied shopping basket (It is alright, we all get too busy to put things away.)

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LUNCHBOX COLOUR SALAD

A healthy, fresh and wholesome whole wheat pasta salad that you could enjoy hot or cold becomes a celebration of nutrient rich colours in your bowl. Nourish yourself!

Method

Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, cool and set aside. Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette in a blender and process until smooth.

Combine pasta, beans, onion, brussels sprouts, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, cabbage and one cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Add fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Top with snow pea shoots.

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Note – All photos in this post were shot on a Nikon D600 using a 24-85mm Nikon lens. The camera has been kindly loaned to me by Zing Australia to have a play around. It is a beautiful camera and I am thoroughly enjoying experimenting with it!

Color makes me smile, it makes me happy and this post did exactly that! I love pasta which is NOT loaded with cheese and this recipe of yours sounds like something I would love to try. That vinaigrette sounds very interesting.

I know what you mean by being influenced by colour at the moment. Since I have also been studying colour at college, My wardrobe, food and surroundings have had a burst of rainbow! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

Hello!

I am Sneh! I am a Food/Lifestyle Photographer, Stylist and Cookbook Author. I live in the Sydney bushland with my husband, our two boys and a couple of chickens. A wordsmith at heart, I have a fondness for rain, markets, house plants, living simply and trying to feel good every day with small positive changes. Here you will find food to nourish your bodies & stories to enrich your souls.